Challenge (MxM) (COMPLETED)

Chapter Fifty Seven- Eat the Rich

Chapter Fifty Seven-

Dax

How did I end up here?

"Where are we going? I don't walk around in this area without James for security."

"I saw your world, now I want you to see mine," Noel explains, driving us through downtown.

"I don't think they like rich people." I admit, looking at the homeless people sitting on the side of the road watching people walk by and ignore them or give them a few dollars here and there.

"Nobody likes rich people," Noel reminds me, making me roll my eyes. "I mean, think about it. Your friends get to complain that their maid folded their sheets wrong and these people can barely afford a bottle of water."

I sigh and roll my eyes. I hate people trying to make me feel bad for shit like this. It's not like I'm the one that made them homeless. "I know that, but how is that my fault?"

Noel parks the car and looks at me with a serious expression that I rarely see on his face. "Everything in this country is built to benefit people like you. Hot, rich, cis, white guys who have never once had to wonder if they'd be able to find a meal or a place to sleep. I'm not saying it's your fault. It's not, but you have a platform to speak and be heard, and you have the money to change things. That makes it your responsibility."

I follow along with what he's saying and nod. I'm trying so hard to break out of the thoughts that were planted in my head. I remember trying to give my dad's money to a homeless person when I was little. He took me downtown because he had a meeting and my mother was complaining about him never spending time with me. We were walking down the road and there was a woman with a sign. I took my dad's wallet and tried to give her cash, but he snatched me back so hard I thought he had dislocated my shoulder. He told me not to touch them because they were dirty.

Usually, when I come around this area, it's in my car. It's easier to ignore them that way. I'm not sure when I stopped feeling bad for them, but I hadn't even crossed my mind that I could do something to help. It's so common for me to drive by people suffering on the side of the road and not even look twice.

I don't want to be that person that's okay with so many people suffering. I want to be the person who looks twice and decides to help.

I climb out of the car with Noel and get the giant bag of small bags that he put together. When he asked me if he could borrow my credit card, I thought he'd finally go on a shopping spree for himself or maybe even let his friends buy a few things. Of course, he didn't. Noel isn't vain or materialistic like people think he is. He's incredibly generous and kind.

"You did this every week?"

He shrugs. "Yeah. It's not a huge deal. I usually just go to the dollar store and buy a bunch of crap to put in there. I got some better stuff this time because I had your card."

I never would've thought to come to see homeless people on purpose. I was always taught that they're homeless because they're alcoholics or drug addicts that lost their jobs due to their irresponsibility. My dad used to say that if they have time to beg then they have time to get a job, but Noel explained it to me.

Some of these people don't have phones or clean water. None of them have home addresses or money. They can't pay for haircuts or nail trims, and they don't have access to showers or even soap sometimes. What person is going to hire someone who looks dirty and unkempt and has no way to communicate directly with them aside from meeting in person?

"Have I ever told you how awesome I think you are?"

Noel blushes and shrugs as he gets the case of water and locks the door before starting to walk down the road. "I don't do it for praise or appreciation. I think it's the decent thing to do."